Wedge making jig



June 1, 1954 R JOHNSON 2,679,868

WEDGE MAKING JIG Filed Dec. 22, 1952 4 5 snvenf'or Reuben Johnson as W41 A?! AA TENT Arum/15b Patented June 1, i954 UNITED STATES i ihlENTOFFICE WEDGE MAKING JIG Reuben Johnson, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaApplication December 22, 1952, Serial No. 327,299

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices formaking or facilitating the manufacture of wooden wedges, an object of myinvention being to provide a device of the character herewithindescribed which enables wooden wedges to be made quickly and accuratelyand at the same time includes means whereby the finished size of thewedge may be controlled.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which, in conjunction with the foregoing objects,permits a plurality of wedges to be made all having exactly the samedimensions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which can be used either with a hand saw or with aband or circular saw.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is simple in construction,economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited for the purpose forwhich it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects andadvantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my inventionconsists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all ashereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of my device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my device showing a finished wedge insitu.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of my device.

Figure 4 is a View substantially along the lines 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of one side of the base plateshowing the wedge-shaped recess therein.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the 'dilferent figures.

Unless special equipment is available, the cutting of wedges presentsconsiderable difiiculty and as the .efiiciency of a wedge dependsdirectly upon the dimensions thereof, it is desired that wedges be cutas accurately as possible.

Furthermore, when a series of wedges is being used, it is essential thatthey be similar in all respects in order that wedging effect may beequal. The disadvantages and difficulties of cutting wedges by handwithout the advantage of a jig is overcome by the device hereinafter tobe described, inasmuch as it not only provides a jig for holding thelumber while the wedge is being cut, but controls both the length andwidth of the finished wedge.

Proceeding now to describe my invention in detail, it will be seen uponreference tov the accompanying drawings that I have illustrated asubstantially rectangular base plate I having a handle 2 secured uponthe upper surface 3 thereof and slightly to one side of the base plate.

The side 4 of the base plate is provided with a wedge-shaped recess 5,said recess connecting at a point 6 and increasing in depth to a maximumat the wall I and it will be observed that this recess extends clearthrough the thickness of the base plate i.

What I define as a wedge-width gauging plate 8 is mounted within thisrecess, said gauging plate consisting of a vertical centre portion 9extending substantially the full length of the recess 5 and having ahorizontal flange portion it extending at right angles from. one side ofthe centre portion 9 and adapted to overlie the upper surface 3 of thebase plate I. It will be seen that in this embodiment, the verticalcentre portion and the horizontal flange portion are formed from onepiece of stock which is angulated to give the desired component. Thegauging plate 8 is pivotally secured to the upper side 3 of the baseplate i by means of a pivot pin 1 I passing through one end of thehorizontal flange l0 and being anchored to the base plate I so that thegauging plate 8 can be swung in an are around pivot H.

. Means to secure the gauging plate 8 in the desired position areprovided and take the form of a slot I 2 formed in the horizontal flangethrough which extends a bolt l3 which also passes through an aperture 44within the base plate. A wing nut l5 engages the bolt and suppliesclamping pressure to hold the gauge plate in the desired position.

A perusal of the drawings and consideration of the foregoing will showthat the vertical centre portion 9 of the gauge plates limits theeffective width and slope of the wedge It being formed.

Means are also provided to control the lengthof the wedge, said meanstakmg the form of a U-shaped clip ll which hooks over the upper edge l8of the gauging plate so that the longer legs [9 of the clip extenddownwardly over the outer surface 20 of the vertical centre portion 9.This clip may be slid along the vertical centre portion and is anchoredin position by means of a clamp bolt 2!. From this it will be seen thatthe effective length of the wedge may be controlled as shown in Figure2.

In operation, the finished width of the Wedge and the effective lengthare decided by position- 3 ing the gauging plate 8 as hereintoioredescribed and also by positioning the clip ll whereupon a piece of thelumber is placed within the wedgeshaped recess and the surplus materialcut ofi parallel to the edge 4 of the base plate, thus leaving the wedgeas shown in Figure 2.

However, if it is not desired to use a hand saw in this operation, Ihave provided means whereby the device may be used upon a band orcircular saw table. In this connection, I have provided a rail 22 uponthe underside of the base plate I, it being appreciated that said railis adapted to engage one or" the guide grooves on a conventional sawtable. It will be appreciated that this rail has to be adjustable sothat the saw can make a cut adjacent the edge 4 of the base plate. Ihave, therefore, mounted the rail within a pair of transverse railcarriers 23 mounted upon the upper side of the base plate I and at eachend thereof. These carriers are provided with transverse blocks 24 andare engageable by bolt or pin 25 extending upwardly from each end of therail 22, wing nuts 26 clamp them in position as desired.

Alternatively, the device may be moved via the handle 2 along theconventional circular saw fence which in itself may be adjustedtransversely with relation to the saw blade.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that I have provided auniversal jig from which may be manufactured a plurality of wedgeshaving similar dimensions and which furthermore may be adjusted simplyand easily if the dimensions of the wedge have to be altered.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabovedescribed, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same madewithin the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from suchspirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A jig for facilitating the manufacture of wooden wedges, comprisingin combination a horizontal base plate, a recess formed in one side ofsaid base plate, and a Wedge-width gauging plate pivotally secured tosaid base plate and swingable within said recess, and means forselectively locking said gauge plate in the desired position within saidrecess, a longitudinally extending rail upon the underside of said baseplate, transverse rail carriers secured to the ends of said base plate,said rail carriers being slotted transversely relative to the baseplate, and means coasting between said rail and said carriers wherebysaid rail may be moved laterally across the base of said base plate andsecured in the desired position.

2. A jig for facilitating the manufacture of wooden wedges, comprisingin combination a horizontal base plate, a recess formed in one side ofacting between said rail said base plate, and a wedge-width gaugingplate pivotally secured to said base plate and swingable within saidrecess, and means for selectively looking said gauge plate in thedesired position within said recess, said wedge-width gauging platecomprising a vertical centre portion extending substantially the fulllength of said recess, a horizontal flange extending at right anglesfrom said centre portion and overlying said base plate, said gauge platebeing pivotally secured to said base plate via one end of said flange,and means coacting between said base plate and said flange to positionsaid gauge plate in the desired location within said recess, alongitudinally extending rail upon the underside of said base plate,transverse rail carriers secured to the ends of said base plate, saidrail carriers being slotted transversely relative to the base plate, andmeans coacting between said rail and said carriers whereby said rail maybe moved laterally across the base of said base plate and secured in thedesired position.

3. A jig for facilitating the manufacture of wooden wedges, comprisingin combination a horizontal base plate, a recess formed in one side ofsaid base plate, a wedge-Width gauging plate pivotally secured to saidbase plate and swingable within said recess, means for selectivelylocking said gauge plate in the desired position within said recess, andfurther means for adjusting the length of the wedge being formed, saidbase plate including a vertical centre portion extending substantiallythe full length of said recess, a horizontal flange extending at rightangles from said centre portion and overlying said base plate, saidgauge plate being pivotally secured to said base plate via one end ofsaid flange, means coacting between said base plate and said flange toposition said gauge plate in the desired location with ing said recess,and a longitudinally extending rail upon the underside of said baseplate, transverse rail carriers secured to the ends of said base plate,said rail carriers being slotted transversely relative to the baseplate, and means co and said carriers whereby said rail may be movedlaterally across the base of said base plate and secured in the desiredposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 13,670 Worden Oct. 9, 1855 720,912 Gorton Feb. 1'7, 19031,111,904 Kahrs Sept. 29, 1914 1,566,225 Mills Dec. 15, 1925 2,032,976Carter Mar. 3, 1930 2,083,435 Dahlin June 8, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 1,316 Great Britain May 2'7, 1859

